© AFP
Africa has new champions.
In the Africa Cup of Nations final, the hosts Ivory Coast defeated the Nigerian national team 2-1.
Throughout all the matches, the initiative was in the hands of the Ivory Coast. However, it was Nigerian footballers who were the first to score. In the 38th minute, one of the standout defenders of the tournament, William Troost-Ekong, scored a great header.
After the goal, Nigeria pressed even harder towards their goal. They struggled to withstand the opponent's attacks. In the 62nd minute, Franck Kessie scored after a corner kick.
The "Elephants" ensured that they didn't have to play an extra 30 minutes or endure an 11-meter penalty shootout. In the 81st minute, Sebastian Haller widened the margin for the Ivory Coast team after a pass from Simon Adingra.
During the remaining time, Nigeria failed to equalize, and Ivory Coast triumphed.
FRANCK KESSIE EQUALIZES FOR IVORY COAST 🔥pic.twitter.com/0KG5ftai8M
— NS7 (@notsrr7) February 11, 2024
SIMON ADINGRA - ANOTHER ASSIST IN THE AFCON FINAL! 🇨🇮
— Ryan (@ryanadsett) February 11, 2024
What a goal and story from Haller 👏🧡pic.twitter.com/2VvmdbLapO
Didier Drogba brought the AFCON trophy out ahead of the final
— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 11, 2024
Ivory Coast made sure it stayed home 😘 pic.twitter.com/Wvywly0BXQ
Starting lineups:
🇳🇬 Nigeria XI: Nwabali, Ekong, Ajayi, Bassey, Zaidu, Oneyka, Iwobi, Aina, Lookman, Chukwueze, Osimhen.
— 𝐀𝐅𝐂 𝐀𝐉𝐀𝐗 💎 (@TheEuropeanLad) February 11, 2024
🇨🇮 Ivory Coast XI: Y. Fofana; Aurier, Kossounou, Ndicka, Konan; Michael Seri, Kessie, S. Fofana; Gradel, Adingra, Haller.
The path to the final for Ivory Coast was very dramatic. The defending champions suffered a 4-0 defeat in the final group match against Equatorial Guinea, but only by chance made it to the knockout stage as the fourth-best team that finished third in their group.
Before the quarterfinals, the hosts parted ways with coach Jean-Louis Gasset, and then they defeated the reigning champions Senegal in a penalty shootout.
In the quarterfinals, not even an early red card for center-back Odilon Kossounou could stop them. Last-minute goals from Simon Adingra and Oumar Diakite led Ivory Coast to the semifinals. There, after a tough battle, they managed to defeat the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0.
Nigeria and Ivory Coast met in the same Group A. The first meeting between these teams ended in a 1-0 victory for Nigeria.
In Group A, Nigeria secured second place. In the round of 16, they defeated Cameroon 2-0, and in the quarterfinals, they beat Angola 1-0. In the semifinals, a penalty shootout was needed against South Africa. Despite having many chances to avoid the "penalty lottery," Peseiro's men couldn't succeed. In the penalty shootout, Stanley Nwabali saved two penalties, and Nigeria returned to the AFCON final after 10 years.
Altogether, there were five penalty shootouts and six extra times in the AFCON knockout stages.
South Africa won bronze by winning the penalty shootout against the Democratic Republic of Congo. This was the third medal for the South African national team in AFCON history.
